Intelligence suggests the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), a strategic initiative launched during the Biden administration to counter North Korean nuclear threats, is expected to remain operational even if a second Trump administration takes office.
A Pentagon official familiar with the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy told Radio Free Asia (RFA) on Thursday that the Washington Declaration and the NCG will likely endure under the next administration, though terminology may change. However, the core principle of nuclear-extended deterrence is expected to persist.
The official noted that the NCG’s future might hinge on the confirmation of Elbridge Colby as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, as Colby has previously expressed doubts about the group’s effectiveness in addressing North Korea’s nuclear threat.
Established as a part of the Washington Declaration following the April 2023 U.S.-South Korea summit, the NCG serves as a permanent consultative body between the two nations. Since its inception, it has convened four times, with its most recent session held in the U.S. on January 10, just before President Trump’s inauguration.
Despite these developments, analysts warn that the NCG’s future remains uncertain. There are concerns that its existence could be perceived as provocative by Pyongyang, potentially complicating future nuclear negotiations between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.